Almost there

I know 5 weeks isn't that long, but geez....it went by fast.  Even though some of our classes are short I try to take a little self confidence from each one.  The other day at work we got a request for a press release because someone called into a radio show to talk about our new patio.  We got a request from The Pitch.  I sent it over to our marketing department and they said that press releases are a little outdated?!  Most of the time people just put the info out there.  I was wondering how they put it out there.  Still they are putting one together this week.  Five weeks ago, this would not have interested me in the least.  However, now I find myself anticipating what it will say.
Have any of you been able to use anything from this class in your real life yet?

Tornados

What a scary week!  The devastation in Joplin is horrific.  I read in yesterday's paper that a family is still looking for their 16 month old baby who was sucked up in the tornado.  The mom, dad, grandma and grandpa all went flying but are okay.  I can't even fathom that kind of fear.  I can't imagine not knowing where my baby landed or if he was laying somewhere injured or worse.
Yesterday at work we had to take all of our guests into the coolers in our kitchen when there was a confirmed tornado on the ground a few blocks away.  All I could think of was where my kids were and were they safe.  I have two friends with families in Joplin who are safe, but lost everything.  We gave a small donation to the Red Cross, but it doesn't seem like enough.
Have any of you had anyone involved in the tornados?  Are they okay?

Facebook

What do you all think about facebook?  I love it.  I am not one of those people who give updates by the hour or really ever.  Every once in a while I post some pictures of my kids or ask a question.  I love following other peoples'.  Especially, my really funny friends.  I love that I have reconnected with friends who I haven't seen since high school or even younger.  I love to see what they are all up to and to see pictures of their kids.  I have a few friends who do not understand how anyone could like it.  They will day things like "If I haven't talked to you in 20 years why would I want to be friends with you on facebook?"/  Just curious...what are your thoughts?

Aliens

This is a touchy subject, but I am really just looking for your opinions.  We hear a lot about how many illegal immigrants we have in this country.  I really do not have a problem personally with this, but I do understand the legitimate complaints about unpaid taxes, medical bills and jobs that citizens do not have because people who are here illegally take them.
I work with several hispanics who are probably illegal and they are wonderful people who only want what most of us want.  To support our families.  I really am torn with where I stand.  I also hear my sister and her husband who are both physicians and they are always complaining about the expensive operations that they have to do, but know they will never be paid for by illegals.  So...I get it, but I don't know how I feel about it.

Am I pushing it?

Okay..so the company for which I work is very much a boys' club.  Out of 14 or 15 fine dining restaurants there is not a single woman GM.  The closest I came was when I was acting GM for the year and a half that I filled in for my boss.  The day that we were told that my bosses' position had been eliminated and he would be back in the restaurant I was told that I was next.  Since then our Vice President (who I really like as a person) has rehired a man who was previously fired and made him a GM, put one GM through anger management and then had three managers request transfers since the counseling, put another GM through rehab and relocated him to another restaurant and now there is another restaurant opening in t. Louis and it is between a brand new manager he just hired and a manager out of another restaurant who has to take a breathalizer every time he needs to start his car because of multiple DUI's.  I am angry that he has not even discussed the opportunity with me.  I askmyself if I would even be interested and the answer is "no, not in St. Louis". However, a part of me wants to confront him and ask what is going on?  I know it is because I just had a baby.  He has made comments in the past about how he "knows" I would never want to move my family or that my husband has his job here.  I sort of feel like I am entitled to know what is going on.  I know they think highly of me because I have been offered other jobs a few times and they have always asked me to stay and given me a raise.  I am angry about this situation.  What are your thoughts?

Why are there more nurse practitioners than doctors?

     One of my new pet peeves is that whenever i try to make an appointment with any of our family doctors the doctors office tries to push there certified nurse practitioner on me.  Not that I am not sure they are qualified, but I am paying the same amount of money whether I see a doctor or one of them.  I prefer to see a doctor.  I have had some really bad experiences with these practitioners.  I've given them a try at the pediatrician and at my OB/GYN office.  Both times bad experiences.  Both times misdiagnosed.  Last time I was at the pediatrician's office I noticed they are down to three actual doctors and five CNP's.  The receptionists seem to get upset when I try to make an appointment for a well check up with a doctor and they say I can get in much sooner if I agree to see the nurse practitioner.  I always say "no, thank you I would like to see the doctor".  Sometimes it is literally months before they have an available doctors appointment, but they could get me the same day if I agree to see the nurse.  It seems that this is the wave of the future and I understand that they are less expensive to employ, but they do not seem to be as capable or knowledgeable as a real doctor.

Today is one of those days when I feel like a crazy person

Today was one of those days that just will not stop.  From the time I wake up until the time I got home which was about an hour ago.  I wouldn't trade my life for anything, but I would trade these kind of days for a day at the beach.  I love the beach.  I was raised in Florida and I visit my Dad and sisters several times a year and it makes me miss the days where the most important thing I had to do was to hit the sand by 11:00 for the best tanning hours.  How did I get from that life to this one?  It wasn't easy...but it was worth it.

New Child

     Tonight I arrived home from work around nine o'clock.  My younger children announced that we have someone else moving into our house.  My husband just kept talking about some other random topic.  The kids start bringing fun stuff up from the basement that this new child has moved in.  I keep looking at my husband as if to ask "what in the world is going on?".  My husband just kept rambling on  A few minutes into this conversation my two oldest sons came walking through with a dresser and a new teenager.  The new teenager introduced himself and then they all went down into the basement.  My husband just picked up where he left off as though the new boy had never been in the room.  I felt like i was in the twilight zone.  I finally just quietly asked "Umm...Don, what is going on?".  His response was something like "what do you mean?".
     Evidently, this boy has been kicked out of his house.  I don't even know why.  I will find out in a few minutes.  This is strange...right?  He can't be more than sixteen years old.  I don't want him out on the streets, but geez...

Self Serve Yogurt

     Today was the first day I gave in and ventured inside one of these new self serve yogurt places that have popped up everywhere.  I took my three youngest kids.  It was AWESOME!!  I remember the first sign I saw for one opening near the Bristol.  I thought to myself "why would I want to serve myself yogurt?".  I was wrong!!
     Let me walk you through the experience.  We walked in and it's a really fun place to be.  The colors are really soothing.  Then we saw the table where we get our containers.   They had two different size "cups".  They are both huge.  Then I read off all of the (probably twenty) flavors to the kids.  We each picked a different flavor.  Aidan went with mint, Sophie chose cupcake and I decided on cheesecake.  The next step is to pick the toppings.  They have all kinds of fresh fruit and berries...and of course they have all of the good stuff.  The kids both decided on gummy bears, marshmallows, and m&m's.  I got strawberries and sprinkles.  Then we all put our ginormous snacks on a scale.  It's thirty six cents an ounce.  I was impressed we only owed $11.00 for all three.  Then we sat at a table inside.  All of the table tops spin.  So Aidan, my four year old says "let's move the table so we can taste each udders(that's a quote)".  This was a great idea, however Sophie (she's three) had no interest in sharing with Aidan or myself.  Maybe next time.  Next time will probably be this weekend or early next week as we are hooked!!  Who would want to serve themselves yogurt?  We do!!